Il racconto menzognero di Odisseo a Laerte: Odissea XXIV, 235-326

Abstract

Odysseus’s lying tale to Laertes: Odyssey XXIV 235-326.
The second part of the Odyssey (books XIII-XXIV) describes Odysseus’sreturn to Ithaca. In order to reconquer his own kingdom, the herohides his real identity and creates five different stories which he tells to thedifferent characters he meets (Athena, Eumaeus, the Suitors, Penelopeand Laertes). Of these five tales, Laertes’s scene takes on great importancedue to the doubts it rose and to the differences compared to theother μῦθοι. The biggest difficulty is in the apparent uselessness of thelie – when Odysseus has re-established his reign over Ithaca – whichgives pain to the father after the slaughter of the Suitors. The aim of thiscontribution is to make a comparison between the tale for Laertes andthe other lying tales, by explaining common aspects and differences, andto show the purpose of the speech for the father, which is considered asa functional part of the plot of the poem and perfectly integrated with theother tales in spite of his originality. In fact, the speech for Laerte concludesa complicated Ringkomposition capable of connecting the twelvebooks of the second half of Odissey.
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